On recommendation, I recently read An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor. It’s subtitled A Geography of Faith. In the spirit of that lane, rather than offer a review I’ve selected my top highlights and will offer a meditation post for each one. Here’s quote #5:
To become fully human means growing gentler toward human weakness. It means practicing forgiveness of my and everyone else’s hourly failures to live up to divine standards.
Chapter 7, The Practice of Living with Purpose
What Taylor is describing in the paragraph containing this quote is her view of loving God and neighbor as oneself. She calls that the vocation of becoming fully human. These thoughts are two of the six she offers to explain what she means. They are all examples of living with purpose.
What if we all were working toward growing more gentle?
What if we all were empathetic toward other’s weaknesses?
What if we all were forgiving toward failures, including our own?
On recommendation, I recently read An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor. It’s subtitled A Geography of Faith. In the spirit of that lane, rather than offer a review I’ve selected my top highlights and will offer a meditation post for each one. Here’s quote #4:
Our bodies remain God’s best way of getting to us.
Chapter 3, The Practice of Wearing Skin
One might argue there are other ways just as impactful that God gets to us, but Taylor makes an interesting point. Whether through our body loathing, our seasons of suffering, or our comparing our bodies to our neighbor’s, we certainly have many opportunities for more of God.
I believe a good chunk of these opportunities revolve around the work of acceptance. Accepting the diagnosis, the loss, the genes, the future produces humility, alignment, focus, and peace that may only come through the avenue of our bodies.
I’ve had few physical challenges in my 55 years of life. The main one I’ve dealt with in recent years is a Schatzki’s Ring. If that’s a new term to you, you’re not alone. Bottom line: I have to be careful and alert to food getting stuck in my esophagus.
It’s more annoying than anything, but it has caused me to attune to myself and others in ways I hadn’t before. It all started in a Miami restaurant in 2014 when I had no idea what was going all. All I knew was my chest was tightening, and everything I had eaten wasn’t going to stay in my body. Since then this has happened in friend’s homes, multiple restaurants, even on stage this past Sunday. That was weird. Try singing with a wedged orange slice on the verge of shooting out of your mouth-a whole new method of God getting your attention.
I’ve learned many lessons from these situations. I believe the key one is the value of lowering our guards. Here are three lived examples of what I mean:
Lower your guard rather than hiding behind any sense of embarrassment or shame when you have to excuse yourself from the table.
Lower your guard rather than exploding in anger or pride when you have to seek help for something you can’t explain or fix.
Lower your guard rather than ignoring the obvious and making matters worse for you and those in your company.
How does that connect to God getting to me through my body, in this case a Schatzki Ring?
My guard hinders his releasing my shame.
My guard halts his providing my desperately needed healing.
My guard eliminates his growing and maturing me and therefore my community.
May we pray, “God, even in my body, get to me however you want. I’m all yours.”
On recommendation, I recently read An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor. It’s subtitled A Geography of Faith. In the spirit of that lane, rather than offer a review I’ve selected my top highlights and will offer a meditation post for each one. Here’s quote #3:
How often we are embarrassed to do and say the things that really affect us.
Chapter 12, The Practice of Pronouncing Blessings
This one is a pickle. It is a What If-er’s nightmare. “If I say how I’m really feeling, how will they respond?” “If I make this decision, will my friends understand?” On and on.
Taylor advocates for two things in this chapter: 1) embrace blessing all things and 2) speak from your heart.
The first time I gave an unexpected, heartfelt blessing was in a letter to my college best friend and his fiancee. I was surprised how much it touched them. From that I learned we don’t practice blessing enough. It’s a foreign language.
To improve our skills, as simple as it sounds, it all begins with the word “may”. “May” frames the future, a future where potential is realized and hopes are fulfilled. When introducing a spiritual blessing, “may” invites the work and hand of God with reverence and promise. No matter the person, no matter the present, everyone could stand to hear a blessing, a word to affect today and tomorrow.
On recommendation, I recently read An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor. It’s subtitled A Geography of Faith. In the spirit of that lane, rather than offer a review I’ve selected my top highlights and will offer a meditation post for each one. Here’s quote #2:
Human beings may separate things into as many piles as we wish-separating spirit from flesh, sacred from secular, church from world. But we should not be surprised when God does not recognize the distinctions we make between the two.
Chapter 1, The Practice of Waking Up to God
Taylor’s quote comes at the end of the chapter where she has offered the teaching that God can show up in any space or through any means he chooses. In that moment, we have the opportunity to erect an altar-take note and mark that spot where God revealed himself. Her biblical example is Jacob’s reaction to the ladder dream. Because he knew he had encountered God, he paused and created a marker of significance.
Makes me think of Paul David Tripp’s teaching about two-drawer living. God doesn’t instruct us to live two separate lives-one for him and one for ourselves. Everything belongs in one drawer. The challenge is to view more and more of life as an encounter with him, a journey with him, an alertness that he’s always here.
Case in point: Sunday after church I had three hours to kill before attending an event in another town. I decided to google a new place to eat, try something different. I ended up at Blu’ Island Bistro. When I pulled in the parking lot, I wasn’t quite sure. But I said to myself, “Trust the reviews.”
It’s not a big place, but it has charm. I immediately felt it when I walked through the door. And here’s the thing: IT NEVER STOPPED.
Besides the quick seating, the perfect plate portion, the excellent tacos, and almost just right sweet tea, no one, and I mean no one, lacked joy. Not a customer. Not an employee. Everyone seemed happy to be there. I literally said to myself, “I should tell my pastor that I found the restaurant that feels like church.”
I stopped counting how many servers checked on me. I believe it was six. That’s a little crazy. And I don’t mean annoying crazy. I mean “thank you for your care” crazy.
I didn’t just encounter God between 10:00 and 11:00AM Sunday morning. I encountered him at the restaurant, then at the beach, then at the ice cream shop, and then at the event. How? I was looking for him. And the altar I erected? I gave the restaurant a Google review, I’m posting this blog, and I thanked God for putting everything in one pile.
On recommendation, I recently read An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor. It’s subtitled A Geography of Faith. In the spirit of that lane, rather than offer a review I’ve selected my top highlights and will offer a meditation post for each one. Here’s quote #1:
Faith sometimes looks like a blunt refusal to stop speaking into the divine silence.
Chapter 10, The Practice of Feeling Pain
In the face of betrayal, keep speaking.
In the face of confusion, keep speaking.
In the face of loss, keep speaking.
When fear says, “No one cares,” refuse to listen.
When doubt says, “No one’s listening,” refuse to isolate.
When impatience says, “No one’s responding,” refuse to self-muzzle.
There is a time to be blunt.
There is a time to be persistent.
There is a time to be verbose.
If God is silent, might it be because he wants to keep hearing from you?
If God is silent, might it be because he’s respecting your need to process?
If God is silent, might it be because he’s taking a moment to appreciate your faith?
The latest YouVersion reading plan I’m in addresses bitterness. Day 3 of the plan ended with this question:
How can failing to shed bitter tears result in sinful bitterness of heart and life?
Overcoming Bitterness, by Stephen Viars
Can’t say I’ve ever made the connection between not shedding tears and bitterness. Before answering the question, I rephrased the question into a statement:
Failing to shed bitter tears results in sinful bitterness of heart and life.
Viars revisited the stories of David, Mordecai, and Peter to illustrate his thought. When I considered situations from the past that I may still have bitterness about, I wondered, “Maybe I haven’t sufficiently shed tears about them. Now, it seems unnecessary. Yet, it’s worth the encouragement to acknowledge how tears could have served in the past and the value of embracing them in the future to eliminate bitterness growing.”
By the way, to answer his question I flipped it to list three ways tears help us:
Last month I came across the work of Dr. Lisa Miller, unaware of her connection to the national institute that accredits the counseling center where I work. Quickly I was up to speed and got a copy of her book The Awakened Brain.
I started reading it during the downtime of Hurricane Idalia, finishing it today. Here is one statistic from the introduction that gives reason for Miller’s work:
A study of more than 67,000 college students across 108 institutions in the United States published in 2019 found that 20% reported that they had engaged in self-harm such as cutting, 24% reported suicidal ideation, and 9% had attempted suicide.
Introduction: Anything Can Be Shown
She defines the awakened brain in the introduction to give you some sense of the foundation she is going to build for this way of approaching life.
The awakened brain is the neural circuitry that allows us to see the world more fully and thus enhance our individual, societal, and global well-being…The awakened brain includes a set of innate perceptual capacities that exist in every person through which we experience love and connection, unity, and a sense of guidance from and dialogue with life.
Introduction: Anything Can Be Shown
In chapter four she makes an interesting observation about heredity and environment. Through research, she’s determined that spirituality isn’t solely determined by environment. A person isn’t limited only by the spiritual environment of their early years; in fact, we are born with spiritual awareness. That is good news for everyone.
A person’s degree of spirituality is determined 29% by heredity and 71% by environment…People at greater risk for mental illness due to their developmental stage actually have the most to gain from spirituality.
Chapter 4, Two Sides of the Same Coin
Woven throughout the book are compelling stories of spiritual journeys, including her own. These stories, including clients as well as business and national leaders, illustrate the transformation of lives who live responding to what life is showing them, particularly when they lean in to spirituality.
What I was witnessing was less that we heal when we impose a more positive meaning on the world, and more that we shift toward health when somehow, and usually through struggle, a bigger meaning is revealed to us…feeling better isn’t just a matter of creating new thoughts, of replacing unhappy ones with happier ones; it’s also about noticing and aligning ourselves with whatever life is showing us.
Chapter 7, When Inner and Outer Align
Admittedly, Dr. Miller’s work has not been easy in the scientific community. In many ways she is countercultural, somewhat blazing a trail to question if the way of American living has been wrong for many years.
We make our best decisions when we integrate our heads, hearts, and life’s guidance, learning to tune into our choices and hurdles as part of our spiritual path…We discover that we are seekers rather than makers of our path.
Chapter 9, The Castle and The Wave
Having lived many years in achieving mode and wondering how to step back from it, chapter 12 gave language to my struggle that is lifegiving. It may not ring true to everyone, but the clearness Dr. Miller makes between the two modes of awareness is my main takeaway from the book. I believe it’s the usage of the two words achieving and awakened.
We all have two modes of awareness available to us at all times: achieving awareness and awakened awareness…Achieving awareness is the perception that our purpose is to organize and control our lives…When we engage our awakened awareness, we make use of different parts of our brain, and we literally see more, integrating information from multiple sources of perception. Instead of seeing ourselves as independent makers of our path, we perceive ourselves as seekers of our path.
Chapter 12, The Two Modes of Awareness
Dr. Miller, of Jewish faith, does not use the language of the New Testament. I suggest she paints a clear picture of the difference between Paul’s teaching regarding walking in the flesh and walking in the spirit. Flesh walkers live for themselves; spirit walkers have their eyes open to the world, ready to put themselves aside for others.
Through awakened attention, we open up more channels of perception. We learn not only to notice but also to draw meaning from what shows up in our lives. We see more, and we’re better able to use what we see.
Chapter 14, Awakened Attention
If you are a believer who questions the place of science in your faith, I encourage you to read this book. If you are an academic who questions the place of spirituality in your life, I encourage you to read this book. Allow Dr. Miller to challenge your brain and your faith. What’s the worst that can happen?
Earlier this year in other readings, I was challenged to consider the Old Testament through the eyes of Judaism. Can’t say I thought much about it prior. So I searched for a book along those lines and landed on this one, published in 2011.
When you hear a familiar story told through a different perspective, you have an opportunity to learn, to broaden your understanding, and I believe most importantly, deepen your connection to others.
Arrogance is not only a moral and spiritual malady. It breeds stupidity. For those who are utterly convinced of their own absolute rightness cannot hear the warnings of others, cannot pay attention to the signals from the world around them, cannot learn from their own mistakes.
Chapter 10, Who Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart
How the authors interpreted biblical and current events through the lens of the Exodus provides a consistent reminder that God is present in every situation. It is a freedom journey that He doesn’t abandon.
God dwells most deeply where the newly free remember their pain with tears, create their future in joy, and carry their vision into every journey of their lives.
Chapter 18, Carrying the Sacred Space
One thing I’ve always appreciated about the Jewish faith is their persistence to remember by storytelling. I appreciate it because I need to be reminded of it, particularly in efforts to know my fellow man better.
It is not enough for a people to become free just once, any more than it is enough for the grain to sprout or the lambs to be born just once. Over and over, year after year, rebirth, regrowth must come again.
Chapter 22, Transforming Our Festivals and Our Lives
My main takeaway from this book is to continue engaging other faiths, cultures, and stories different from mine. It is sacred. It enriches everyone willing to engage.
When Palestinians and Israelis, or American and Iraqis, or Jews and Muslims and Christians join with each other to mourn those who have died at each other’s hands, that weaves a sacred fringe between us.
Currently I’m going through a YouVersion reading plan for James 1. The first four days of ten have pretty much focused on this verse:
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
James 1:3 NLT
Reading this the other day, it struck me to get specific. For instance, when faith in one area of life is tested it has a chance to grow. To flesh that out, here are ten additions where growth can be experienced by faith testing.
When your faith in your spouse is tested, your endurance as a vow-keeping partner has a chance to grow.
When your faith in your boss is tested, your endurance as a loyal employee has a chance to grow.
When your faith in your children is tested, your endurance as a loving parent has a chance to grow.
When your faith in your parents is tested, your endurance as an honoring child has a chance to grow.
When your faith in your government is tested, your endurance as a contributing citizen has a chance to grow.
When your faith in your company is tested, your endurance as a committed team player has a chance to grow.
When your faith in your church is tested, your endurance as a kingdom-minded citizen has a chance to grow.
When your faith in your investments is tested, your endurance as a focused treasurer has a chance to grow.
When your faith in your friend is tested, your endurance as a reliable presence has a chance to grow.
When your faith in your God is tested, your endurance as an image bearer has a chance to grow.
“It is likely that leadership success, both current and future, will be determined more by the learning that takes place after being given a leadership assignment than by what has been learned prior to it.”
Read this quote for the first time this week. It’s made me think and reflect.
I’ve always held the philosophy that what has been learned prior has prepared a leader for success in a new assignment. However, Habecker has made me consider the learning after being in a new position. I believe there are stipulations as to whether this learning leads to success more than prior learning.
STIPULATION #1: What’s the leader’s ongoing approach to learning?
Is it ongoing? Is it plural, meaning it focuses on all areas of life? If the answer to either of these is no, learning is going to be minimal and therefore success will be hindered. Leaders never stop learning.
STIPULATION #2: What’s the leader’s level of humility?
Followers of Patrick Lencioni have heard his repetition on the needed virtue of humility in leadership. Humble leaders in a new assignment will have a greater bend toward learning. They carry a “I haven’t been here before and have a need to learn” posture that paves the way for ongoing learning.
STIPULATION #3: What’s the leader’s inclusion of interpersonal relations learning?
The temptation exists to believe this is a one-time effort. Or that by a certain age there’s nothing more to learn about relationships. Or a resignation to “this is just who I am.” A new assignment will bring new relationships. An ongoing, humble learning posture toward those relationships will be important for successful leadership.
I met a leader this week that I believe understands these stipulations. He is less than a year into an assignment that came with more firsts and surprises than he anticipated. In his late 50’s, he certainly has prior learning. But he is keenly aware it is not enough.
So yes, success for him, for that matter for all of us, will be based on pursuing learning – ongoing, humble, all-inclusive learning.
John Gregory 